OPEN SHORT STORY WINNER
MALCOLM AND THE ALIEN
FUNNY SITUATION
BY JULIA MACFARLANE
Although originally from the NE, Julia now lives in Sussex where she runs the Bognor Regis Write Club. Her collection of short stories News Of Leon is available on Amazon alongside several anthologies of the Club’s work and their best seller: Chichester Ghost Tour.
Malcolm bounded in through the open patio windows waving a large, lilac-grey, rubber toy. Plumed tail wagging, he waited for Jill’s reaction. He did not have to wait long.
“Malcolm! For Pete’s sake, what have you dragged in now?” The toy was about three feet long, silvery latex with a lilac or green sheen dependent on how the light hit it. It was shaped like a caricature of an alien from a 1950s comic book, its large almond eyes with black pupil circles centred in startling white. Its hands and feet ended in three suckered digits. Malcom dropped into a play position at Jill’s feet, hoping a game of tug was about to start.
“Take it back into the garden – NOW!” Those pesky kids over the back probably threw it over the hedge. It made a change from the usual balls, ranging in size from ping pong to football, that Malcolm pounced on inevitably puncturing them in the process. This new object was obviously more substantial than the balloon it might be mistaken for; balloons lasted less than a second in Malcolm’s boisterous jaw. But still, she did not want to have to pick up shreds of rubber toy from her freshly vacuumed carpet. Malcolm dropped the toy at her feet and scuttled backwards, changing his plans to a game of “Fetch” if “Tug” was out of the question.